This invention relates to a safety ring for the bottom of fire extinguishers, especially those which may be located in hazardous, volatile environments and which may be subjected to rough handling and harsh and/or extreme conditions.
Protective rings exist for various objects, such as garbage cans, buckets and domestic receptacles, to prevent damage to the can, bucket, etc. as well as the surfaces upon which they may be placed. Exemplary of such rings is Great Britain Pat. No. 235,322 to Kay.
The use of a protective ring for the bottom of fire extinguishers is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,777 to Gaines (see Gaines' rubber channel 12). German Pat. No. 3435470-A to Salmen discloses a soft elastic plastics footplate glued over the bottom of a portable fire extinguisher. The present invention is an improvement over these prior art fire extinguisher devices.
Exemplary of the potentially destructive environments in which such fire extinguishers may be utilized is that of an off-shore drilling rig. Safety considerations and regulations mandate that fire extinguishers be readily available on such rigs. Typically, metallic fire extinguishers are positioned at various locations on such a rig for ready accessibility.
With respect to these types of fire extinguishers, the "wear surface" is normally the bottom of the extinguisher. When the extinguisher is handled, used, replaced and/or repositioned, the bottom commonly confronts other metallic or hardened surfaces, and frequently is exposed to corrosive liquids or materials such as water, saltwater, etc.
Moreover, because of the environments in which the extinguishers are utilized and because of the weight of the fire extinguishers, the fire extinguishers may not be handled with great finesse. When typical fire extinguishers are full, they may weigh as much as fifty pounds. Even the processes of servicing the fire extinguishers (such as checking or refilling a fire extinguisher) may scrape or damage the bottom of the extinguisher.
Other harsh environments in which such fire extinguishers may be damaged include industrial and mining operations. Such environments sometimes are exposed to flammable gasses, liquids and other materials. Indeed, the potential flammability of materials in such environments is frequently the reason for a fire extinguisher to be present in the first place.
Many such extinguishers (including specifically the bottoms and other wear surfaces thereof) are fabricated from metal or other material. The contact of a metallic extinguisher against a metallic drilling rig surface, for example, may cause dangerous sparking, increasing the peril of these already hazardous situations, and increasing the risk of explosion and fire--the very risk that the fire extinguisher is present to address.
Metal fire extinguishers are also subject to rust or corrosion. For that reason, as well as for aesthetic and other reasons, the extinguishers are commonly painted or otherwise coated with a protective paint or other material. The aforementioned rough handling commonly dents and/or scrapes the bottom of the extinguisher, damaging the container as well as any such protective paint or corrosion-resistive coating applied thereto.
Obviously, damage to such protective coating permits the ready entry of the aforementioned corrosive liquids or materials, initiating rust or similar deterioration to the extinguisher. Such rusting action may eventually migrate up the sides of the extinguisher and destroy the aesthetic and, potentially, the functional aspects of the container.
This is especially important when extinguishers of the aforementioned type are pressurized, as are many fire extinguishers. Some extinguishers are designed to be "instantly pressurized" just prior to or contemporaneously with their use, by an expedient such as an associated CO.sub.2 cartridge or the like. With respect to such extinguishers, the aforedescribed deterioration of the container may result in an unsafe condition. Among other things, the deteriorated bottoms of such extinguishers have sometimes "blown-out" from the internal pressure, especially in those extinguishers employing the aforementioned "instant pressurization". In addition to harming persons in the area at the time of such a blow-out, the container obviously would not be available for use after such a blow-out. For that reason, a preventable fire might not be prevented.
Additionally, the work surfaces of, for example, a drilling rig may also be metallic and subject to corrosion. Undesirable and damaging contact from fire extinguishers may harm the work surface as well as the extinguisher itself.
The useful life of any such extinguisher certainly may be shortened by the aforementioned deterioration. Moreover, because one of the main purposes of fire extinguishers is to provide safety and peace of mind, some persons may sense a reduced feeling of confidence and safety if the fire extinguisher is corroded or rusty. This feeling may exist regardless of whether the extinguisher is actually satisfactory for use.
Many fire extinguishers include discharge nozzles and/or hoses which are commonly clipped to the side of the tank when not in use. Prior art clip designs have numerous shortcomings, including their tendency to deteriorate and break (from weather, rough handling, etc.) and even to cause damage to the tank itself. Regarding this latter point, prior art clips are commonly banded onto the neck or body of the tank, and moisture can accumulate under the strap or band, increasing the likelihood of rust at that location. The bands or straps are also prone to loosening and/or rotation about the tank, decreasing the reliability of the intended retention of the discharge hose at a particular location on the tank.